On July 14, Richland County held a swearing-in ceremony for Treasurer Kendra Dove. After serving as deputy treasurer for the past 16 years, Dove is the first Black person to serve as treasurer for the County, having recently run for the position unopposed by either party. At the ceremony, formerContinue Reading
Commanding oak stands as a tangible testament to Sheriff Leon Lott’s 26 years in office so far By W. Thomas Smith Jr. In the Spring of 1997, Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott planted three trees – two crepe myrtles and an oak – just outside the back door of hisContinue Reading
The Richland County Sheriff’s Department once again wins tri-agency competition By W. Thomas Smith Jr. For the eighth year in a row, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) edged past the Columbia Police Department (CPD), and the Columbia Fire Department (CFD) to win the annual BATTLE OF THE BADGESContinue Reading
New associate commissioners Mary Beth McSwain and Sarah Burnham have joined the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (RSWCD). McSwain and Burnham join the existing team of five commissioners and five associate commissioners who direct the RSWCD’s conservation efforts. McSwain participates in conservation activities with her husband, Tim, an RSWCDContinue Reading
The wreath-laying ceremony begins National Police Week for RCSD By W. Thomas Smith Jr. The families of fallen deputies gathered at the gates of the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) headquarters’ memorial garden for a special service honoring the families’ deceased loved ones, Monday, May 15, the date officiallyContinue Reading
FBI director’s award recognizes “outstanding contributions to our nation’s communities” By W. Thomas Smith Jr. BUILDING BETTER COMMUNTIES (BBC), a Columbia-based nonprofit which helps support marginalized and struggling communities across the Midlands, received the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award during ceremonies at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., Friday, MayContinue Reading